Downtown development panel dissolving

Monday

Apr 5, 2010 at 12:01 AM

The city is dissolving its Downtown Development Commission and turning over the reins to the nonprofit Downtown Business Alliance. The commission, a five-member board appointed by the City Council, was charged with planning, implementing and assessing parking and development plans downtown.

By Claire ParkerCorrespondent

The city is dissolving its Downtown Development Commission and turning over the reins to the nonprofit Downtown Business Alliance.The commission, a five-member board appointed by the City Council, was charged with planning, implementing and assessing parking and development plans downtown. City Manager Ricky Horst said the commission and Downtown Business Alliance would be more effective when merged into one entity. "Our primary objective is to provide more engagement between the city and business owners," Horst said. "We felt this aligns that purpose."Downtown Business Alliance President George Carrasco said the transition should be seamless and it is a great move on the city's part. "It is an extremely positive change in order to achieve the goals we have set forth," Carrasco said.The alliance has created an ambitious agenda for the year including possible incentives to attract a hotel and multi-family development downtown.It also wants to develop a plan to alleviate traffic and lure the Fine Arts for Ocala festival back downtown. The Ocala Arts Festival moved a few years ago from its annual spot on the square to the McPherson Government Complex on Southeast 25th Avenue.In the meantime, Horst said the city will create an advisory committee to work with the Downtown Business Alliance, and the City Council will vote in April or May on final adoption of the plan. If the plan is approved, Carrasco said downtown business and property owners will have a greater voice. He said many board members, city officials and merchants were hamstrung by the Sunshine Law, which bars discussion of government business outside of an official meeting.Since the Downtown Business Alliance is a nonprofit entity, the free flow of ideas will allow unrestricted dialogue."That's critical in my opinion," Carrasco said.